holidays are yoga too
in the results of my recent yoga survey of students, one of the themes that emerged was a desire to know how to be in a state of yoga beyond the mat, how to translate the practice into practical application.
and while it’s tempting to draw up a simple and straightforward list of “how-to’s” to tackle this, the response may be more nuanced and tailored to each practitioner. the application of and meaning of yoga is personal to each one of us, and i believe depends on your starting point.
over the past two decades, my definition and experience with yoga has evolved. what began as a form of exercise eventually hinted at something more about six months into my practice, when one day i had a clear knowing that yoga is about loving yourself (note, this was a small miracle considering the state of my physical practice at that time which was completely unfocused) but it made me eager to seek that out to apply it in my life, so I committed to the journey. along the way, i thought of yoga as something i “did” in the studio, where my mind could be free to run rampant, thinking, ruminating, scheming as i moved (essentially more of what i do in real life). after a few years of this, i noticed i was leaving the studio bitter, tired, and disconnected from my heart. i decided to start listening to my teacher’s words, to start focusing more on the quality of my breath and of my movement, which then redefined what the practice means in my life along the way. it’s been a moving meditation to me, a mindfulness practice that invites awareness to thoughts, actions, behaviors and the present moment, and a way to create space in my life. more recently, i experience and define yoga as a state of being at center, of feeling at peace and in balance with self and the world around me. this is the impact it’s having in my life.
using that definition – being at center, peace and balance – we can look beyond the mat for opportunities to practice and be in a state of yoga anywhere. the holidays present this kind of opportunity, to bring awareness to where in our lives we are not feeling balanced and at peace.
if you’re like me, with all the people, plans, wants, to-dos and running around, you might spend more time than normal living in the head at the holidays, planning and organizing it all. i definitely lose my balance. a good majority of us (myself included) consume beyond what typically feels good: food, booze, money, time, and most of all, energy. and the more we give away our energy, the less resilience we have, the less we are able to give to ourselves. this can show up in what we consciously or unconsciously sacrifice in our efforts to keep up. as an example, i think less clearly, i’m tired more often, i suddenly desire a lot of things i don’t need and it all takes up energy that is usually reserved for self-care practices, such as meditation which becomes less regular, less of a priority.
so as the holiday season continues, i invite you to conserve a little energy for yourself, to take a few breaths each day to pause and reflect, not just on what happens on your mat, but on current experiences in your life as fodder for practicing yoga. here are a couple thoughts to get you started:
on the mat: be curious about your asana practice, how you move, what comes up for you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. consider what your practice can teach you in this moment. what habits or patterns in thought or behavior on the mat are you noticing? what do you gravitate to, get excited about or try to avoid and how does that mirror other parts of your life? what one thing can you start to do to experience more softening, ease and flow, less effort? when i began to ask these questions for myself, i noticed that i was eager to enter poses i felt i had “mastered” and avoided poses i couldn’t do or that brought up fear. i was forcing my breath, forcing my movement, competing, comparing and leaving the studio feeling like a jerk - the exact opposite of loving myself.
off the mat: carve out a quiet moment in your day free from distractions. grab a notebook or sit quietly and reflect. in what part of your life are you spending most of your energy right now (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual)? what habits or patterns in thought, actions or behaviors are you noticing and what impact are they having? Is that the impact you want? if not, what impact do you want? what are you willing to examine more deeply and/or let go of in this moment to feel more inner peace and balance? these are big questions that may have small or big answers for you. and at the holidays, the impact for me is more mental engagement, less connection to my heart.
making a point of using your time on and off the mat to observe and reflect on at least one thing can be an insightful experience that changes your starting point and impact of yoga in your life. this is where the rubber meets the road, where the many layers of self are slowly exposed for examination, and where the seeds of growth lie. it presents choice in each moment. as you begin to make new choices, your practice changes as well. the experience expands beyond something to “do” and morphs into an exploration of who you are. and who you are is who you are both on and off the mat.
what impact are the holidays having on you? what one thing can you do to be in a state of yoga - more centered and balanced - as the holidays continue? feel free to comment below.